Drought dashes farmers' hope

UJUNGPANDANG, South Sulawesi: The dry spell has severely affected about 26,000 hectares of paddy fields in this province and in Riau, officials said yesterday.

In South Sulawesi, at least 20,000 hectares of paddy fields, or about 10 percent of the province's paddy crop, are drying out due to a water shortage, local public office chief Kusnaeni said.

He said the worst hit were rice fields in the southern and western coastal areas.

But rice production in inner regencies like Bone, Sopeng, Wajo, Sidrap, Pinrang and Luwu would not be affected. "Reservoirs in the regencies have enough water to irrigate paddy fields until December," he said.

The wet season is not due until after October, according to the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency's Jakarta office.

South Sulawesi produced four tons of unhusked rice, or 20 percent of national product, in the latest harvest season.

Kusnaeni said the current dry spell would cost farmers Rp 80 billion (US$33 million).

"We mean to optimize irrigation pumps and rotate irrigation water supply," he said.

Meanwhile, Antara reported that drought also threatened about 6,000 hectares of paddy fields in Riau's regencies of Kampar, Indragiri Hulu and Bengkalis although rains occurred earlier this month. (31/pan)